What Causes the ‘Green Flash’ at Sunrise or Sunset?

Sometimes, when the sun is rising or setting, you see a quick flash of green. It's like the sun gives a tiny green wink before it fully appears or disappears. This happens because light bends as it goes through layers of air, and different colors bend differently. Green is the first color to appear at the edge, right when everything else is still red or orange.

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Examples

  1. You see a green flash at sunrise when the sun looks like it’s giving you a quick wink.
  2. A sailor sees a bright green edge around the sun as it rises above the ocean.
  3. During a sunset, the last bit of sunlight is a glowing green before it disappears.

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